Force India

Force India

FIA Entry: Force India F1 Team
Car 14: Adrian Sutil
Car 15: Paul di Resta
Engine: MercedesV8
Team Principal: Vijay Mallya
Technical Director: Andrew Green
Race Engineer Car 14: Brad Joyce
Race Engineer Car 15:Gianpiero Lambiano

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2008
Races Entered 55
Race Wins 0
Pole Positions 1
Fastest Laps 1
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

Team History

In 1991 Eddie Jordan made the leap from the lower formulae to F1 with the Jordan Grand Prix Team. Jordan Grand Prix raced with varying degrees of success until 2005, taking part in 250 Grand Prix, winning 4.

In 2006 Jordan was sold to Canadian businessman Alex Shnaider and was rebadged as Midland F1 – entered as the first Russian Grand Prix team. Midland had little success and by the end of 2006 the team was sold to Dutch car sports car makers Spyker and the entry changed to Spyker MF1. Spyker were as unsuccessful as Midland and at the end of 2007 the team was sold again, this time to Vijay Mallya, and Force India was born

Force India

For the 2008 season Force India used an updated version of the Spyker car, designated the VJM01, married to Ferrari engines. Adrian Sutil and Ginacarlo Fisichella were the drivers with Vitantonio Luizzi as the tester. The season wasn’t massively successful, Sutil missed out on potentially scoring points at Monaco when Kimi Raikkonen crashed into him, otherwise the highest placing they managed was 10th for Fisichella in Spain.

Mercedes Power

For 2009 Force India moved from Ferrari power to Mercedes engines. With the same drivers as 2008 the early part of the season showed that Force India VJM02 had made steps forward in performance. Sutil ran 6th in China, before aquaplaning off the circuit, and was as high as 2nd in Germany before another coming together with Raikkonen as he exited the pits. The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa proved to be the high point of Force India’s season. Fisichella, to the amazement of many on the grid, put his car on pole and brought the car home 2nd only to leave the team to substitute for Felipe Massa at Ferrari for the remainder of the season. Sutil followed up Fisichella’s points scoring exploits with a 4th in Italy now partnered by test driver Luizzi.

For 2010 Mercedes engines were retained, as was the driver line up the team ended 2009 with. The VJM03 was another step forward for the 2009 model and Force India scored points regularly in the mid-field. Sutil managed the teams highest race finish with a 5th in Malaysia and the team ended the season 7th in the Constructors Championship

2011

Test driver Paul di Resta replaces Luizzi for 2011 in the VJM04 chassis. With continuing support from Mercedes High Performance Engines and McLaren Applied Technologies Force India are looking to head the mid-field in 2011.

 

[Il_leone]

Bill Boddy See how quickly they realise they don't want to wash their hands with him
However apparently he has finally commented about the team's performance for the first time in a while

Force India expected more from early races

 

[teabagyokel]

A 23 point haul for Force India this weekend. That's going to take a while for their peers to overhaul.

It's a big strength of the team that they continue to maximise the chaotic races and always seem to deliver a hefty total in one race. And an annual podium for Checo!

At publication, only Mercedes, RBR, Ferrari and FI have a podium each year since 2014. That's impressive!

 

[cider_and_toast]

Given the turmoil off the track with the boss's financial issues they do manage to put everything in to a race weekend when it counts. According to Sky, Nico H is now one of only 4 drivers to complete 100 GPs or more and never make it on to the podium.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah Hulkenberg is the holds both the Pierreluggi Martini belt for current driver with most races without a podium and the Andre De Cessaris belt for current driver with the most races without a win. Been that way for a while for poor old Nico.

 

[Il_leone]

I' m afraid for some reason Nico Hulkenberg just does not seem to make most of his opportunities at the critical moment when they present themselves to him

 

[F1Brits_90]

I know force india seem confident but after perez outstanding drive in Azerbaijan & Monaco podium. The chances of him staying at force India for 2017 must be getting are slimmer by the GP because Williams for the revenue he brings might be interested & also Ferrari almost certainly must be interested because kimi reputation took a big knock. Also to get 7 podiums when you've driven for sauber & force India (& McLaren but we dont mention that) Is some achievement

he is the perfect "pay driver" someone who brings alot Mexican Revenue but in a competitive car is a race winner

 

[Il_leone]

I think because Ferrari have Mexican sponsors would be a good fit for them

Did not think he would be on William's radar and there were talks he was considered for the Renault drive

 

[RasputinLives]

I think Perez burnt his bridges with Ferrari when he left their junior programme to join Mclaren.

 

[F1Brits_90]

there were talks he was considered for the Renault drive

Bet he's delighted that he didn't take that option

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives It was Luca who did not put much faith into him

Given the other options someone like Perez would please the Mexican sponsors who were pestering Ferrari to see a Mexican in a Ferrari car

 

[RasputinLives]

I guess Ferrari had Bianci at the time

 

[teabagyokel]

RasputinLives - That's the Ferrari succession policy right there. Raikkonen, I suspect, remains a placeholder.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah and Marcello was supposed to be next after that and he flopped big time. They do have an exciting chap named Charles Le Clerc on the way up but he'll need a couple of years yet.

 

[RasputinLives]

Force India have signed a nice little healthy sponsorship deal with Johnny Walker and will run their colours next year.

I guess that squashes the usual 'Force India won't make it to the grid' rumours we get every pre-season.

 

[cider_and_toast]

That's another sponsor gone from McLaren then.

You really do have to admire what Force India have achieved this year. Surrounded by all the turmoil of their owners financial issues and rumours of their own financial ill health and there they are, fourth in the constructors.

Good on them.

 

[FB]

I looked this up yesterday, Johnny Walker are continuing with McLaren although in a smaller role. The company which owns Johnny Walker also owns Smirnoff (current FI sponsor) and bought out Vijay's booze business in India a while ago. Gives the new bloke at McLaren even more to think about.

Johnnie Walker set for Force India deal

 

[Il_leone]

FB RasputinLives

Might also have to do with that MClaren's other sponsor is Moet Chandon which means that a competitor in the drinks industry is competing for exposure

I think Mclaren might get more sponsors now Ron's gone

Going back to Force India - the less coverage there is about their shady owners - Sahara or VJ the better the team thrives on the track which has been the case the last few seasons

 

[RasputinLives]

Good news keeps coming for Force India.

Force India confirm launch date for 2017 car

New car is obviously going to be ready and set to go. Given that they are usually one of the last to get the thing out the garage this is good news. Amazing what the cash from a 4th place can do.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Did you see that news in the car launches thread yesterday at 1305?

Too slow my friend too slow.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Force India may launch their car on that date RasputinLives but that does not mean that they will be ready with a working car at the start of testing.